Nervous giggles, excited whispering, and a confidence-boosting pep talk — this was the scene just minutes before the WorkWell Theater Team put on the show they had been working towards for weeks. Through Mayor Megan Barry's program, Opportunity Now, twenty-four 14 and15-year-olds were hired to have their first job experience this summer, with us! In the Theater Team, five of them, the self-named "The Ginger Ales," worked together to write a skit, choreograph a dance, learn a song, and perform it all in a variety show for elderly residents at a nearby retirement home.
The show began with a beautiful cover of the song, "Don't Be So Hard on Yourself" by Jess Glynne. More than simply learning the lyrics, these girls had to learn how to work together - combining different parts and harmonies to complement one another.
Interspersed between the Ginger Ale's performances were short comedy bits by Robert Munoz, drama expert, and Amanda Byrd, near peer manager. Taking on the roles of the beloved Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, the audience was audibly delighted by their performances.
The next performance was an original drama, written by the girls themselves.The girls scripted a setting they were familiar with -- a girl's slumber party during which they prank called a friend.
The final piece was a moving original dance performance to the song "Your Day Will Come." They picked the song and choreographed the dance to communicate the theme of finding hope. Residents remarked of the performance, "We've never seen a dance like that before!"
When the girls came in for their performance, elderly residents couldn't believe they had costumes and were putting on a full-fledged variety show, just for them. Their comments after the show: "You blew our minds!" and "you girls HAVE to come back!"
Throwing a fist into the air and with a smile on her face , Zaya exclaimed, "I put A LOT of sweat into this --- but it was all worth it!"
Near peer tutor and Institute for G.O.D. student, Amanda Byrd, worked with this group all summer to provide instruction and feedback. She related, "I learned a lot about working with high schoolers, helping them work together and find confidence in the gifts that they had. It took a lot of intentionality."
What was so evident in both their performance and dynamic was that the girls weren't just co-workers, they had become good friends over the course of the summer. Genesis Garner, 14, expressed, “I didn’t expect to build such good relationships. I thought ‘this is a job.’ But by the end of the summer, we all became a family.” Another related that she finally felt like she had real friends.
We're so thankful for the development that took place in these girls during their first job experience - in both skills and character. Catch their review video below!
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